EDITORIAL : THE BANGKOK POST, THAILAND

Disservice to democracy

The decision of the New Politics Party to stay out of the upcoming election is both disappointing and a disservice to the country. The party showed a baffling lack of spine in its Sunday debate on the issue.

Even the declaration to stay aloof from the polls was a wishy-washy one. The strong resolve and spirit of the yellow shirt movement appeared to die in some scattered boos. A party born from a mass movement withered and effectively died without so much as even testing its strength in a meaningful election.

The NPP grew out of the mass demonstrations of the People's Alliance for Democracy. The PAD grew out of a great popular dissatisfaction with the Thaksin Shinawatra government. The New Politics Party came into being because of a constant litany during the street protests and mob actions of the PAD: If you really want change, join the political process and take part, democratically.

Now that it finally has a chance to do just that, the leaders of the NPP are leaving the stage with a tiny whimper.

The chief organisers of the PAD decided weeks ago that they would call for an election boycott. But because it is mandatory to vote, they have called on members and supporters to vote for "no candidate", which is an actual choice on all ballots.

According to the PAD, the election expected late in June or early in July provides no acceptable candidates for government.

The opposition Puea Thai Party and its red shirt supporters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship have been the target of the PAD from the start.

In recent months, the leaders have declared that the Democrats under Abhisit Vejjajiva are just as bad.

There are numerous reasons why the PAD, and especially the NPP, are wrong. First of all, it is beyond silly to claim that all of the several thousand candidates standing in the election are unacceptable. Seating in the new parliament is to be based on the winners of 375 constituency seats and 125 so-called list MPs. The ballot allows a voter to protest the polls, or to indicate that no candidate is acceptable to him.

But in an election, most voters are capable of choosing the best-qualified representatives for their area, and for the country.

The PAD has called for the equivalent of a coup d'etat. PAD leaders Sondhi Limthongkul, Maj Gen Chamlong Srimuang and others want the constitution to be thrown out, so that some sort of national government can take over and run the country - no politicians allowed, no elections permitted.

This is a clear revival of the hoary old yellow shirts' call during the Thaksin days, to invoke Section 7 of the constitution, permitting the naming of an interim prime minister when the country is in an emergency. The call was far out of line when first made in 2006, and is still out of line now.

It is also shambolic. PAD leaders are tongue-tied over just how to implement such a plan. The call by the PAD and NPP for voters to mark "No Vote" would have no real effect even if successful. Unless every last voter marked his or her ballot like that, the candidate with the most votes still would be declared the winner.

What is effectively a call for an election boycott is a black mark of shame on the PAD, and particularly on the NPP. The NPP was formed to serve a constituency on the political battlefield. To slink off without a fight is a blow to supporters. It also is a blow to democracy.